Demorratic Wad
Until July 1st, 1899.
Terms, 81.00 a Year, in Advance.
Bellefonte, Pa., June 2, 1899.
P. GRAY MEEK, - - Ep1TOR.
The Watchman Still to Be Had tor $1.00
a Year.
Out of respect for the earnest solicita-
tion of a number of the leading Demo-
crats of Centre county and with the hope
of making the WATCHMAN the family
paper of every household in this section
it has been determined to continue the
present low rate of $1 a year until July
1st, 1899.
The reduction in price made last De-
cember has resulted in an unprecedented
increase of subscribers, but we know
there are still more who will be anxious
to take advantage of this low rate propo-
sition.
There is one thing, however, that we
desire to impress upon the minds of our
old subscribers. This rate of $1 per year
is POSITIVELY only for those who pay in
advance. All have an equal opportunity
to take advantage of it and if you do not
do it you need not expect to settle at any
other than the rate of $2 per year.
The WATCHMAN has never deviated
from its rule of fair and impartial treat-
ment to all, consequently the paper will
be given to no one for a dollar who does
not settle up all arrearages and pay one
year in advance. Don’t expect to have
a reduction from the old price of $2 made
for you unless you are an advance sub-
scriber, for you will be disappointed if
you do.
The Democratic Primaries.
In connection herewith will be found the
call of the chairman of the Democratic
county committee, for the election of dele-
gates, and the holding of the convention,
which will place in nomination the county
ticket to be voted for, and elected this fall.
It is a matter of gratification that the
Democrats are generally aroused to the
importance of these two meetings. They
understand that at the former of these every
Democrat in the county has the right to
vote for his choice, among Democrats, for
every position that is to be filled, to ex-
press his preference, by the instruction of
delegates, for whoever he thinks best fitted
for and hest entitled to the office. Itisa
duty he owes his party, his county and him-
self to doso. When this is done and a
majority of Democratic people indicate who
they desire as candidates, it is equally a
duty that each and all of us give them
earnest and honest support. He isa poor
Democrat who neglects or refuses to go to
the primaries and then growl or kicks
about the ticket. °
Remember that this is the time to make
a ticket that suits you. It is the time to get
men nominated whom you think deserve
it. It is the great field day for every
Democrat, and every man who cares enough
about good government to try to get only
the very best men for the places put upon
the ticket should devote the few hours
fixed for the primaries in working for this
end :
THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN’S INSTRUCTIONS.
The Democratic voters of Centre county
will meet at the regular places for holding
the general elections, in their respective elec-
tion districts, on Saturday, June 10th, 1899,
to elect delegates to the County convention.
Under the rules of the party the election
will be opened at 3 p. m. and closed at 7 p. m.
The delegates chosen at the above stated time
will meet in the court house, in Bellefonte,
on Tuesday, June 13th, 1899, at 12 o’clock,
noon, to nominate :—One candidate for sher-
iff, one candidate for county treasurer, one
candidate for register, one candidate for re-
corder, two candidates for county commis-
sioner, two candidates for county auditor,
and one candidate for coroner. Said dele-
gates so chosen will also at the same time
elect five delegates to the State convention to
be held in Harrisburg, Pa., on June 14th,
next; a chairman of the county committee
to serve from the 1st day of January, 1900,
to the 1st day of January, 1901; and transact
such other business as the interests of the
party may require.
APPORTIONMENT OF DELEGATES.
The number of delegates to which each
election district is entitled as approved and
ratified by the Democratic county commit-
tee on the 24th day of April, 1899, is as
follows *
Bellefonte, N W
ee SW
«Ww
Haines, E. P
LW,
Harris.
Benner, N. P....
“ S,
Centre Hall Boro........2 Howard
Howard Boro..... wl Huston.
Milesburg Boro.. 1 Liberty.
Millheim Boro.... 2 Marion....
Philipsburg, 1st wardl Miles, E. P.
£ ond “2 eM. P..
* ra ¢ 1 “WwW. P
South Philipsburg... 1 Patton.
College Boro...... ww Penn....
Unionville Boro a] Potter, N. P...
1 “8P
ey
.1
1
. P,. Rush, N. P....
Boggs, N .P BP
Ep, Snow Shoe, E.
“ W. P. “ “ Ww.
Burnside... Spring, N. P
008. P
“WwW,
Taylor
Union ..
Gregg, N.P.. Walker E P.
at EP € MP..
“ Wp “« W.p.. 2
Half Moon....... gwen, LL 1
Totals iornivirensarisssessnns 85
PRIMARY OFFICERS.
The county chairman has made the fol-
lowing appointments for holding the com-
ing primaries in the various voting pre-
cincts. Each election hoard will consist of
the local chairman and two assistants, as
follows :
Bellefonte N. W.—Ch., John Trafford;
Asg'ts, Geo. Eberhart, John Dunlap.
Bellefonte S. W.—Ch., P. H. Gerrity ;
Ass'ts, Bruce Garman, Ed. Brown Jr.
Bellefonte W. W.—Ch., Geo. R. Meck ;
Asses, W. Harrison Walker, L. H. MecQuis-
ion.
Centre Hall Boro.—Ch., J. G. Dauberman ;
Ass'ts, 8. W, Smith, F. E. Arney.
Howard Boro.—Ch., Abe Weber ;
Asg’ts, Joseph D. Diehl, W. R. Gardner.
Milesburg Boro.—Ch., Jas. B, Noll ;
Asg'ts, Wm. Grafmyer, George Noll,
Millheinn Boro.—Ch., Samuel Weiser, Jr. ;
Ass'ts, C. W. Albright, F. P. Musser.
Philipsburg 1st W.—Ch., J. W. Lukens;
ass’ts, C. M. Lingle, H. D. Rumberger.
Philipsburg 2nd W.—Ch., Ira B. Howe ;
Ass’ts, J. H. Eskridge, J. P. Johnston.
Philipsburg 3rd W.—Ch., A.J. Graham ;
Ass’ts, Frank Hess, Harry Crain.
State College Boro.—Ch., Reuben Glenn ¢
Ass’ts, Milton McDowell, Albert Hoy.
South Philipsburg.—Ch., Harry Cameron ;
Ass’ts, William Heller, Morris Frank.
Unionville Boro.—Ch., L. P. Brisbin:
Ass’ts, J. Eugene Hall, Wm. Keatley.
Benner N. P.—Ch., John Mechtley;
Ass’ts, L. C. Rearick, A. C. Kelley.
Benner S. P.—Ch., S. H. Hoy;
Ass’ts, Sam’l Markle, Geo. Sweitzer.
Boggs N. P.—Ch., Henry Heaton ;
Ass’ts, William Brown, W. B. Confer.
Boggs E. P.—Ch., J. J. Kelley;
Ass'ts, G. H. Leyman, Frank Holt,
Boggs W. P.—Ch., Lewis Aikey ;
Ass'ts, Joseph Fulmer, Edward Poorman.
Burnside.—Ch., A. V. Daugherty ;
Ass’ts, William Hipple, W. P. Meeker.
College—Ch.. J. A. Williams;
Ass’ts, David M. Tate,Linn S. Bottorf,
Curtin—Ch., Wm. J. Quay ;
: Ass’ts, Peter Robb, Jr., N. J. McCloskey.
Ferguson E. P.—Ch., W. H. Fry:
Ass’ts, L. A. Smith, C. M. Johnson.
Ferguson W. P.—Ch., Samuel Harpster;
Ass’ts, Geo. W. Keichline, J. H. Miller,
Gregg N. P.—Ch. Geo. F. Weaver;
Ass’ts, John White, John Orndorf;
Gregg E P—Ch., Jas. C. Condo; :
Ass’ts, H. B. Herring, F. M. Fisher.
Gregg W P—Ch., John Smith;
Ass’ts, W. H. Smith, C. C. Barger.
Haines W P—Ch., Geo. W. Keister;
Ass'ts, C. H. Stover, A. C. Hosterman.
Haines E P—Ch., J.J. Orndorf;
Ass’ts J. Z. Grenoble, R. E. Stover.
Half Moon—Ch., J. H. Griffin;
Ass’ts, Isaac Bears, Wm. Baily.
Harris—Ch., O. W. Stover;
Ass’ts, Geo. Ishler, C. D. Moore.
Howard—Ch , G. D. Johnson;
Ass’ts Joseph Dunkle, Robert Confer.
Huston—Ch., Henry Hale;
Ass’ts A. P. Irvin, James Murray.
Liberty—Ch., Channey DeLong:
Ass ts, J. I. Wagner, Richard Runner.
Marion—Ch., J. W. Orr;
Ass’ts, George Harter, J. 8. Condo.
Miles E. P.—Ch. Dan’l H. Harter;
Ass’ts, 0. H. Wolf, A. N. Brumgard.
Miles M. P.—Ch. C. J. Crouse;:
Ass’ts, Chas, H. Smull, H. A. Detwiler.
Miles W. P.—Ch. Edward Miller;
Ass'ts, Jacob A. Deitrlek, Jacob B. Hazle.
Patton—Ch. Thomas M. Huey.
Ass’ts, Wesley Biddle, Benner Meelk.
Penn—Ch. J. F. Garthoff;
Ass’ts, A. L. Auman, John Krumrine.
Potter S. P.—Ch. G. L. Goodhart;
Asg’ts, John B. Fortney, Jos. M. Carson.
Potter N. P. Ch. Geo. H. Emerick;
Ass’ts David Keller, Thomas Moore.
Rush N. P.—Ch. W. E. Frank:
Ass’ts J. B. Long, James Dumbleton.
Rush S. P.—Ch. J. J. Wayne;
Ass’ts, John Kennedy, Patrick Hefferon.
Snow Shoe E. P.—Ch. Lawrence Redding;
Ass’ts, Thomas Kelley, E. A. Humpton.
Snow Shae W, P.—Ch. Wm. Kern;
Ass’ts, J. A. B. Miller, Brady Beightol.
Spring N. P.—Ch. J. W. Hepburn:
Ass’ts, L. H Wian, James Carson.
Spring S. P..—Ch. Adam Hazel;
Ass’ts, John Mulfinger, Harry Gentzel.
Spring W. P.—Ch. Bruce Garbrick;
Ass’st, D. F. Judge, C. M. Garbrick.
Taylor—Ch. J. W. Beckwith;
Asg’ls, J. T. Merriman, Allen Iloover.
Union—Ch. John H. Stover;
Ass’ts, Wm. B. Turner, 8. K. Emerick.
Walker E. P.—Ch. Ira C. Ohl;
Ass’ts, A. A. Pletcher, Wm. Treaster.
Walker M. P.—Ch. D. M. Whitman;
Ass'ts, J. Z. Walkey, M. Zong.
Walker W. P.—Ch. Wm. A. Royer:
Ass’ts, A. L. Shaffer, N. C. Hockman.
Worth—Ch. A. J. Johnston;
Ass’ts, G. R. Williams, Wm. Young.
For the Consideration of Democratic Tax-
payers.
From nearly every township in the
county we have had words of commenda-
tion for the WATCHMAN’s appeal last week,
for the nomination of candidates for com-
missioner who will understand what the
position requires, and be able to attend to
the affairs of the county in a business like
way. This fact shows that the people ap-
preciate the importance of the office; that
they are awake to the slip-shod, careless
and extravagant manner in which it has
heen conducted during the past three
years, and fully understand who will have
to be taxed to make up for this extrava-
gance.
Knowing these things there can be no
excuse for a failure to select men for the
position who will correct the wrongs that
have grown up in that office and give us a
county administration that will be in the
interest of the tax-payers.
At present the commissioners’ office seems
to be run in the interest of those conduct-
ing it and a horde of petty heelers who
hang about it. There is neither economy in
its management, nor business methods
about any of its work. No attempt at
keeping down expenditures are made, and
no thought given to the interest of the tax-
payers. That the demand for a change in
its management is universal, we don’t
wonder. That it should be made there is
no question.
And now is the time for Democrats to
name candidates whose nomination will
give assurance that these changes will he
made. There are plenty,of good men in
the county to choose from. Some of them
may not seek this office. They may not
be soliciting it. There are good men who
are, and there are plenty who are not. It
don’t matter from which of them you
choose. It don’t matter whether the man
or men you think best fitted for the place
is announced as a candidate or not, it is
your previlege and duty to go to the
primaries and instruct your delegates for
those, and only those whom you know and
believe are fitted, and will perform the
duties of this office to the best advantage
of all the people of the county. When
you do this you will have done your duty
and no one will have a right to complain.
It is an open choice now and the Demo-
cratic voters will have themselves to blame
if they don’t nominate men of the kind
and character that will insure a better ad-
ministration of that office, at a much less
expense, than the Republican board that is
now mismanaging it has given.
-——There is great consolation in the
knowledge that circuses will not follow in
the craze for forming trusts. A successful
trust means a one ringed affair and the
modern circus is no good unless it has
from two to three rings.
——A combination of a lot of manufac-
turers of fertilizers to form a trust looks as
though they have made up their minds to
pull the public leg even with such stinking
stuff.
Showing His Inconsistency.
The WATCHMAN has never been a be-
liever in the principles of civil service re-
form as attempted to be enforced by those
professing faith in them. It has, however,
admiration for the man or men, who, be-
lieving in them, has the honesty and cour-
age to stand by that belief. Just as it has
detestation for the individual or official,
who, pledging his efforts to enforce those
principles, turns his back upon them as soon
as he sees or imagines personal benefit can
be insured by such a course. Of the latter
class President MCKINLEY is now ashining
example. Within the last two weeks he
has promulgated an order exempting some
4,000 offices from the classified civil service
list and thus the first step in the restora-
tion of the former system has been taken.
The straggle has been long, earnest and at
times exciting. The victory trembled in
balance for more than a year. But in the
end those seeking the defeat of civil service
have trinmphed, as it might have been
known they would, and their victory is the
more signal because it was obtained at the
expense of so much labor: It is an irre-
trievable defeat of the efforts of those who
are honostly struggling for what they he-
lieve to be reform, moreover, and that fact
is not without significance. ‘‘A renegade
is worse than ten Tuarks,’’ and McKINLEY
is not only a renegade but a backslider.
He is now body and soul against the very
principles he so earnestly professed to es-
pouse.
This action on the part of the President
is probably the most shameless exhibition
of official turpitude in the history of the
politics of the country. The Republican
platform upon which McKINLEY ran for
President and was elected declared: ‘‘The
civil service law was placed on the statute
books by the Republican party, which has
always sustained it, and we renew our re-
peated declarations that it shall be thor-
oughly and honestly enforced and extend-
ed wherever practicable.”” In his letter of
acceptance Major MCKINLEY responded to
this ‘‘profession of faith’? of the party in
these words: ‘The pledge of the Republi-
can National convention that our civil serv-
ice laws shall be sustained and thoroughly
and honestly enforced and extended wher-
ever practicable, is in keeping with the
position of the party for the past twenty-
four years and will be faithfully observed.’
In view of this platform declaration and
its treatment by the candidate what is the
meaning of the. order signed on Monday,
not enforcing nor extending the civil serv-
ice but curtailing it? It can have no oth-
er signification than the betrayal of the
public and the surrender to the enemy of
those who placed their trust in him.
The strongest supporters of MCKINLEY
in the campaign of 1896 were the civil serv-
ice reformers. That his record proved him
weak and vacillating made no difference to
them. He may have wobbled on other
questions, they said, but on the matter of
civil service reform he has always been
steadfast. His cowardly surrender now is
a fit answer to these expressions of confi-
dence for an ulterior motive was never
more clearly revealed. These positions
are given over to his henchmen for the un-
disguised purpose of using them as trading
postsin the political campaign now ensuing
in which MCKINLEY is a candidate for re-
election. It may be expected, too, that oth-
er positions will be added as they are need-
ed until a saturnalia of corrupt politics is
the result.
—Without meaning anything personal
in reference to the gentlemen of the har
about here the announcement that RUSSELL
A. ALGER, Secretary of War, was educated
for a lawyer explains a great many things.
How a Church Grows.
Interesting Report Made to the Lutheran General
Synod.
YORK, Pa., May 29.—In the Lutheran
general synod Rev. W. 8S. Hinman, D. D.,
of Chicago, statistical secretary, at this
afternoon’s session presented his report
compiled from the parochial reports of the
district synods. The report shows twenty-
four district synods with 1,545 churches.
Losses during the biennium, 25,570; ac-
cessions, 38,074, making the present com-
municant membership 192,299. The con-
gregations own property valued at $12,-
129,943,21, on which the indebtedness is
$1,264,508. During the past two years
$2,713,390 were raised for local expenses,
an increase of more than a quarter of a
million over the previous biennium. The
contributions for missions and other
benevolent work aggregated $477,135. A
total of $3,229,908 was raised for all pur-
poses. The Sunday school statistics show
a membership of 186,695 scholars and 23,-
625 officers and teachers. For local objects
the Sunday schools contributed $213,228
and for benevolence $91,838. There are
47,439 members enrolled in the Young
Peoples societies who contributed $57,937
for local objects and $21,950 for benevo-
lence. Gratifying gains have been made in
every department of the work.
The board of church extension was then
elected. With the exception of Rev.
Clinton N. Walter, of York, being substi-
tuted for Rev. W.S. Hinman, D. D., of
Chicago, the board remains the same as
during the past biennium.
Rev. D. M. Gilbert, of Harrisburg,
president of the board of trustees of the
Tressler Orphans’ Home at Loysville, Pa.,
presented his report, an abstract of which
follows:
The report stated that the conditions
and prospects of the home was never more
encouraging. The health of the 160 chil-
dren at the home has been uniformly good
and through private gifts and the aid of
the church additions, the needed alterations
to buildings have been made and other
contemplated improvements are fairly un-
der way. A nursery building for the care
of the very young children will be immedi-
ately erected, and in the direction of in-
dustrial training, a shoe factory has been
fitted up and work on a small scale has
thus far been entirely satisfactory. The
report further says that contributions have
been asked for a fund for the erection of a
chapel and that fully one-half of the
$1,000 needed has been subscribed and ar-
rangements for its immediate erection are
now in progress. :
Insurgents Violate the White Flag.
Run It up as a Blind and then Fire Upon Captain
Tilley and His Party.—Mutilate Seamen.
MANILA, May 29.—Captain Tilley, of
the signal corps, with a detachment landed
at Escalanto, on the island of Negros, to
pick up and repair the cable. The natives
had a white flag flying over the cable. The
party were no sooner on shore than they
were fired upon by the natives. Captain
Tilley and one of the men threw themselves
into the water. The commander of the
Recorder put off from the bank to save it
from being captured by the rebels.
Meanwhile a rain of bullets was falling
all around the fugitives. Thesecond mate
was picked up by the launch just as he was
sinking, but alive. He said the last he
saw of Captain Tilley the latter was swim-
ming feebly by his side.
Those on board the steamer could see the
Malayse seamen taken by the natives,
flogged and cut to pieces. General Smith
with a detachment of troops started on a
gunboat to investigate the affair.
An order has been issued re-establishing
the Philippine courts, which have been
closed since the American occupation. It
revives all the Spanish system not conflict-
ing with the sovereignty of the United
States.
The oath begins: “I recognize and ac-
cept the supreme authority of the United
‘States of America, etc.”’
The Filipino members are all prominent
lawyers. Chief Justice Arrellono is the
leader of his profession in the islands. In
the early stages of the Filipino movement
he was Aguinaldo’s principal adviser.
Avanita was a member of Aguinaldo’s first
cabinet. Milliza was president of the in-
surgent government at Iloilo; Torres is the
leader of the local committee working with
the commission to conciliate the insurrec-
tionists.
Spanish will be the official language of
the courts, though there had been agitation
among British and American business men
and American lawyers to have the English
code and language adopted.
A Good Start Made.
HAavaxa, May 29.—To-day’s event in
connection with the payment of the Cuban
troops entitled to apply here for a share in
the American gratuity have effectually kill-
i ed off the opposition to the receipt of the
bounty by privates. In American military
circles it is considered that a good start has
been made and that the opposition is defeat-
ed.
Three hundred privates arrived during
the day to apply for payment; but owing to
the time occupied with each man only 112
could be paid during the interval.
Dewey Grows Stronger.
Admiral Much Improved in Health, Although He Still
Declines Social Invitations.
Hox Koxa, May 30.—Since his ar-
rival here on May 23rd, on board his flag-
ship, the United States cruiser Olympia,
Admiral Dewey has improved in health,
but he still refuses all invitations of a
social nature. The admiral has also re-
linquished all offcial duty on board the
Olympia. The date of his departure for
home is still uncertain, his intention be-
ing to remain here until he has thoroughly
recuperated, although he may leave in a
week. The air of the high ground here is
much cooler than it will be found at any
place between Hong Kong and the
Mediterranean Sea.
The program for the Olmpia’s voyage to
the United States has not been determined,
however, to make a stop at the Piraeus,
from which port Admiral Dewey will go
to Athens to pay his respects to King
George of Greece. The Olympia is being
painted white, instead of the dark slate
color which was applied at the breaking
out of the late war.
The plague is likely to complicate the
home-coming of Admiral Dewey. Vari-
ous governments have already declared
severe quarantine regulations against all
Egyptian Red Sea ports and Hong Kong.
In Far Manila.
The Graves of the Dead Decorated by Their Comrades.
MANILA, May 30.—7.50 pr. M.—Me-
morial Day was celebrated at Battery
Knoll. where Scott’s guns were planted
against the Filipino trenches in the first
day’s fighting at Manila. Nearly 300
soldiers lie buried’ there on a bleak mound
surrounded by rice fields, rough hoards
marking the graves, which are ranged in
five unbroken rows. Beyond these are
Spanish block houses and bamboo hedges,
which were mown by shells from the
American guns.
The few soldiers who could be spared
from the trenches came to Battery Knoll,
dusty and bronzed, bearing flowers with
which to strew their comrades’ graves.
A silk flag was placed above each mound.
The day was as mild as a New England
spring day, when just before sunset a few
hundred Americans gathered in a circle
around Battery Knoll, in blue and brown.
Canal Report In.
Admiral Walker Submits Findings on Nicaragua
Waterway.
WASHINGTON, May 20.—Rear Admiral
Walker, chairman of the Nicaraguan Canal
commission, submitted to the President to-
day the report of the commission on the
cost of the proposed waterway and the route
which should be followed in its construc-
tion.
The President will announce on Wed-
nesday the names of the Isthmian commis-
sion and will direct its immediate organi-
zation in order that it can proceed to Colon
ton a steamer and begin its work by mak-
ing an inspection of the route. In the fall
it will examine the Nicaraguan route and
continue the examination just completed
by the commission which has concluded its
labors.
Upon the receipt of the report the Presi-
dent referred it to the state department and
the authorities will determine the proprie-
ty of making it public before Congress con-
venes. The commission is in favor of the
Lull route modified at several points as
sufficiently distinctive to be given a new
name, such as the Walker route. The es-
timate of cost on this route is fixed at about
$125,000,000.
Seven Drowned in the Yukon.
VICTORIA, B. C., May 29.-—The steamer
City of Topeka, from Alaska. brings news
of the drowning of seven men on the
Yukon. Three of them were Conrad
Mabarg, of New York; David Peters, of
England, and a man named Rhodes. The
party left Dawson April 21, with a bag of
gold. At the White river, eight miles
from Dawson, they broke through the ice.
Mounted policemen witnessed the acei-
dent from a distance, hut were unable to
reach the men in time. The police have
posted a notice warning travelers not to
attempt to go down the river.
presented by the Childs route, and it is,
McKinley’s Bonus to the Place Hunters.
From the Pittsburg Post.
Civil service reform is faring rather hard
these days from both the Federal and State
administrations. Governor Stone has heen
removing state officials right and left to
make room for Quay workers and heelers,
and the report comes from Harrisburg that
under his direction a number of them have
been directed to abandon their official du-
ties and go to Tioga county to help the
Quayites carry that county for delegates to
the State convention. All the pulls the
alert Stone can handle are in full play to
elect State delegates. Thereis no question
that the ex-senator will have a big majori-
ty of the convention, and appoint his own
State chairman and candidates for superior
and supreme judges. Mr. Quay takes as
much interest in the selection of judges as
he does of jurymen, when put to it.
President McKinley's order directing a
raid on the Federal civil service was pro-
mulgated yesterday. The order takes from
the classified service—to whick appoint-
ments are made after merit examinations—
some 4,000 Federal officeholders brought
within the civil service rules by President
Cleveland. Various excuses will be put
forth for this repudiation of the personal
pledges of Mr. McKinley and the platform
of his party; but, getting to the gist of the
matter, it is the old spoils game and prin-
ciple that dominates. Democrats are not.
specially aimed at, although they will gen-
erally suffer, but the transfer of the 4,000
offices into the spoils lottery is to meet the
hungry demands of State bosses who find
themselves unable to honor the clamor of
their retainers. For instance, under the
reform Quay or any other boss could not
appoint; his favorites had tostand the mer-
it test of competitive examination. But
with the rules changed by President Me-
Kinley merit does not count, and favorit-
ism or factional service rules the day.
For one who pledged himself that civil
service reform would take no step back-
ward in his administration, President Mec-
Kinley takes the back track with a venge-
ance, and in the most brutal way.
With the largely increased patronage in
his hands by the war in the Philippines
and militarism generally one would have
thought the President should rest content.
On the contrary he is more rapacious and
his followers nore hungry than when there
were fewer offices.
We fancy this last raid on the reform,
with those that have preceded it, opens the
way to a state funeral of the civil service
and merit systems. With McKinley’s ex-
amples, and fully as numerous and hungry
a class of importunates, future Presidents
and parties will be quite willing to aband-
on civil service reform in its entirety. The
Ohio man, true to his geographical instinct,
sets the pace. The spoils system is here to
stay, reinforced with new life and vigor.
Economy that Don’t Economize.
From the Pittsburg Post.
An instance of the sincerity of Gov-
vernor Stone’s high-sounding professions
is furnished by the Philadelphia ‘‘North
American.” The Governor vetoed a prop-
er appropriation of $1,500 to the widow
of a stenographer for services rendered by
her husband to the Legislature at the ses-
sion of 1897. This appropriation the Gov-
ernor vetoed upon the ground that the
unpaid accounts of the Legislature of two
years ago ought not be paid for by the
Legislature of this year. The widow,
therefore, was refused the money due her
husband. Sobsequently the governor,
who thus filed his caveat against the
widow’s payment, attached his signature
to a bill appropriating $5,000 to the ma-
chine henchman, T. Larry Eyre, of Ches-
ter county, for services rendered by that
politician as sergeant-at-arms of the legis-
lative committees at the session of 1897,
the extravagant bills for which were vetoed
by Governor Hastings. The reasoning
that struck down the widow’s appropria-
tion would have been fatal to the $5,000
voted the Quay heeler.
Old Time Ideas are Waning.
From the Pittsburg Post.
There is something that stirs the lood
in General Wade Hampton’s declining a
proposed gift by citizens of the South to re-
place the home recently destroyed by an
incendiary fire. Formerly of great wealth,
General Hampton is a very old and a very
poor man who has served his country with
distinction in both war and peace, but he
does not think such services entitle him to
public support when he can do nothing in
return. In his letter declining the gift
the veteran says:
“It is the duty of every citizen to serve his
State whenever called upon to do so, and
his sole reward should be the conscious-
ness of having fulfilled that obligation. If
my fellow-citizens think that I have been
able to serve my State in any manner, I
only discharged my duty in doing so, and I
am amply compensated for any service
rendered by their verdict of ‘*Well done,
good and faithful servant.”
Recalling a pension roll never equaled in
ancient or modern times, nearing $150,-
000,000 a year and rapidly growing, Gener-
al Hampton’s reminder that every man
owes his best to his country has an air of
novelty. Deosen’t it sound a little vision-
ary, or is the fault with the times and the
loss of old-time virtues?
A Pig Iron Famine Likely.
CLEVELAND, May 29.—A famine of pig
iron is threatened and the manufacturers
may feel the effects of it within a few days
if the iron workers can be believed. The
surplus supply of pig is now but three days
ahead of the consumption and within a
week it is predicted that surplus will be
wiped out and the consumption will exceed
the supply. The reserve on April Ist,
1896, amounted to, 1,092,113 tons. On
the corresponding date of 1898 it amounted
to 814,051 tons, and on the first of last
April the surplus had been reduced to
302,628 tons. The cause is the abnormal
increase in the consumption, which is 34
per cent. greater than one year ago. All
the furnaces are now running to the full
capacity, and the condition which confronts
the manufacturers is said to be serious.
Accepts Reina Mercedes.
WASHINGTON, May 30.—The navy de-
partment instructed the commandant of
the navy yard at Norfork to accept the
Spanish prize Mercedes from the Merrit
& Chapman wrecking company.
Under their contract the Merritt &
Chapman company will receive $75,000
from the government as payment in full
of all demands for their services.
Two propositions regarding the future
of the Reina Mercedes is made by
the navy department—one to put the
vessel in thorough repair for use in the
naval service, and the other to preserve
her in her original condition, so far as
practicable, as a souvenir of the recent
war.
Famine in Africa.
It is Working Havoc—Tales of Painful Suffering Are
Told by Missionaries. .
PHILADELPHIA, May 29.—Reports re-
ceived by the Philadelphia Missionary
council indicate that a famine is working
havoc in inland Africa, not far from the
east coast. The council which has its head-
quarters at Coatsville, Pa., exercises an
oversight over the Africa inland mission
and messages from missionaries on the field
tell tales of painful suffering which they
are powerless to alleviate.
No picture of the suffering appears to
have reached the outside world and the
missionary council has decided to call pub-
lic attention to the conditions. In a letter
Just received from Willis R. Hotchkiss, a
missionary at Kangundo, he says:
“It is impossible for this condition of
things to greatly improve inside of a year,
at least. Even though a harvest should re-
sult this season, it will be eaten up before
it isripe, as it was last season. So we beg
you to do something and do it quickly, for
these men and women are dying while you
wait.”
—————
ADDITIONAL LOCALS.
——The pupils of St. John’s school are
getting ready to give a first class entertain-
ment in Garman'’s opera house on the even-
ing of June 27th.
——The Philadelphia Times yesterday
morning published a very excellent pict-
ure of Calvin M. Bower, Centre county’s
choice for judge of the Supreme court.
de
——The engagement of Mr. Frederick
Allport Dale, eldest son of Dr. J. Y. Dale,
of Lemont, and Miss Caroline Maud Kern
was announced in Thursday’s Philadel-
phia papers.
>
——W hile coasting on his bicycle near the
engineering building at State College yes-
terday afternoon Prof. Leete fell from his
machine and was badly hurt. His arm
was broken and he was painfully cut
about his head.
Le
—— Insurance agent Robert F. Hunter
caught a fifteen inch trout on Tuesday
evening and those who know Bob’s skill
as a fisherman may look to other causes
than neuralgia if an extra swelling is ob-
served about his cranium these days.
a
——-During the storm on Monday after-
noon lightning struck the Hughes resi-
dence at the Academy, Frank Mont-
gomery’s house on Linn street and splint-
ered up one of the trees in the court house
park. No one was hurt by either of the
bolts.
Saulil gaia a ud
——An unexpected ignition of gas that
had accumulated in the tar vat at the
Bellefonte gas works enveloped William
Clark in flames, on Tuesday night, and
severely burned him. The gas became
ignited by a torch he was carrying in his
hands.
>
: el -
——1It is now five weeks and more since
the arches on High street welcomed the:
visiting Odd Fellows and, if those who are
responsible are not going to remove the
unsightly skeletons we would suggest that
council sell them for kindling wood and
that immediately.
————e
——Charles Boone and Thomas McClos-
key, two Romola men who had been work-
ing in the lumber woods are at home nurs-
ing injuries. The former was struck on
the shoulder by a falling limb and the lat-
ter had his leg broken by a rolling log,
while working on a job out near Empor-
inom.
re
——While playing base ball on ‘‘the
Meadow,’ last Thursday evening. grocer
Herbert Sheffer received two knock-outs.
He had scarcely recovered from being
struck in the stomach by a ball when a fly
struck him on the nose, breaking it and
putting the business men’s boss catcher
clean out of business for the time being.
ee An.
——During the absence of Daniel Grove
and his family from their home east of
Lemont, last Monday, thieves entered the
house and broke open three chests, a
bureau and examined the beds. That
they wanted money only is evidenced by
the fact that jewelry and valuable trinkets
were left undisturbed. The house was
entered by cutting away a portion of a
window sash and removing the fastening
from it.
> ——
——DMiss Lititia Thomas Landis and
Henry Chandler, cashier of the Wilming-
ton, Del., bank were married at the brides’
home in Berwyn, near Philadelphia,
yesterday and went immediately to New
York, where part of the honey-moon will
be spent. The wedding was a quiet home
affair, on account of the recent death of
Mr. Chandler’s father, with only a few
guests present. The bride is a daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Harry D. Landis and is so
well known here, her life long home with
the exception of the last few years, that
she has many friends who wish her the
best that life can give.
= nie
THE MusicAL.—The musical given
Tuesday night at John P. Harris’ was not
only a gratifying success, financially, to s
promoter, Mrs. Frank Warfield, who real-
ized fifty dollars for the W. C. T. U., but
it was a treat, musically and socially, to all
those who were present. All the numbers
of the program were enthusiastically re-
ceived and were so widely different that
favoritism seemed general. Miss Hench, of
Harrisburg, sang exceptionally well and
her ‘‘Ziz-zeezee Zum’’ with Mr. Cramer’s
“Lullaby” and Dr. Lee B. Wood-
cock’s ‘‘Celeste’’ were accorded the laurels
of the evening, although Will P. Van Tries.
and John Hunsicker, of State College, Mr.
Bair, of the Franklin and Marshall glee
club, Miss Neubaker, Miss Vida Miller, of
Bloomsburg, and Rev. T. Levan Bickle
were all obliged to respond to encores.